Track and grouser therefor



Aug. 10, 1943. V R. MAYNE TRACK AND GROUSER THEREFOR Filed March 4, 1941JUL/577kb- Jubem without undue stiffening manufacture andassembly.

Patented Aug. 10, 1943 TRACK AND a Robert Mayne, Akron,

poration V Qhio,' as'signor to f l heiB. 1 F; Goodrich Company, NewYork, N .,Y.,' fa core I of: New York Application M ren 4, 1941, seems.381,645

10 Claims. (c1. 305+l 0l I v This invention relates -togrouser:equippedtrack g for self-laying track vehicles-andfastening means therefor, a aV In the self-laying track types of vehicles an endless track is trainedabout guidinganddriv-., ing wheels so that asubstantially straightreach,

of the track contacts with the'supporting'surface especially to andsupports the vehicle therefrom over a great area of surface. V a .It hasbeen proposed to equip such tracks with removable grousers for softslippery soil orv ice orv snow. Such grousershave been difiicult toapplyof the track, andhave been diificult .to retain in proper relation tothe track.

for overcoming these difficulties. 1

The principal objects of the inventionare to provide security ofattachment without-substangj tial increase in the Width of the track toprovide 20:v of replacement, toe-maintainer "l of the grousers withrespect;

generally to; provide ease and rapidity clamping pressure to theresilient tread, and I simplicity of construction and-convenience of;

These and other objects will appear iromlthe following description andthe accompanying drawing. a .7 Of the drawing; r V

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of the track. as seen fromfthewheel-contacting back thereof; parts being broken away.

The present invention aims to provide means Fig. 2 is a side elevationnew, parts being, 7

broken away. j Fig. '3 is a detail sectional View taken along line 3-3of ig. 1 r

Fig. 4 is a detail 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail- 5-5ofFig. 2. V

Fig, 6 is a perspective View of theloridge mem ber.

sectional view taken-alongline tracks of various constructions. In-theillustrative embodiment shown in the drawing, 'theinvention is appliedto a track in which a grofupof longitudinal tension members in the formof flex-V. ible cables are held in spaced-apart relation bylongitudinally spaced-apart cross-barswhich act as driving membersfortransmitting power from the sprockets to the track, and the cables andcross-bars are embedded in a body of rubber or. other rubber-likematerial. A r l In accordance with the invention, thecross bars haveends exposed at the sides of the rubber oo;

sectional view taken alo j e the track. Features of nI e applicable-{tot1 tread face 28 of hasa substantially fiat facefor'engaging the face ofthe rubber the grousers and threaded through bridge niern bers whichengagea plurality of the hookedends;

Grouser plates, peer; againstthe treadrface body by screw boltspassingthrough body in thef orm of hooks. ably of metal, areheld of the,cross-bars. Projections on the rear face of?" theerousers cooperate withgrooves in tl etrad, facekolf; the: rubber ns o eme ts; a .1 p Referringto thedravving, the numeral nates the tread body; of the tracker rubber:or other rubbe'rdike material whichencloses a group of parallelspaced-apart tension members 7| Lin;

the'form of -meta1-'cable s. The tread bodyw'is divided longitudinallyto provide a longitudinalji,

cables by shear loading or the I Wear plates 20 are secured tothecross-barsby the bolts ll and are adapted to be engaged by the, drivesprocket. Parallel flange 2|; 22 and 23, 24 are formed on the wearplates and act to guidethetrackby cooperating with grooves intheguide-wheels and driving wheels. Flanges 2|; 22 have sliding engagementwith the'fianges 23, 24 on i the adjacent grouser securing means. Thegrousers 27 are are adapted to I preferably of metal and" be clampedagainst the resilient the rubber bodyii Each grouser i 28 of therubberbody andr sqfiai f, 38, 3&"mjay; be formed thereon to body and withmarginal sure; faces thereof to; retain the grousers against shirt-g I 0desigcross-bar to prevent l si de-sway, of"

7 engagethe margin of raised .elements' 3! of the tread body defined bygrooves' 2, 7 L t Y 2,326,477 p 32 formed therein. Additional ribs orlugs 33 may Variations may be made without departing be provided on thegrousers for engaging the Y from the scope of the invention as it isdefined sides of the tread body. The ribs and lugs preby the followingclaims:

vent slippage of the grousers along the tread sur- 1 claim:

face of the rubber body. l A track for a self-laying track vehicle, saidDownwardly turned ribs 34 are provided on the track comprising aflexible band-like body of grousers for penetrating the soft earth toinrubber-like material having a tread face, cross crease traction. Theseare preferably in theigrm, members-in said. body and. having eggposedends, of marginal fl n altheugh her iba enabl s edaet r ee tt ea fieqqei seide and 35 may be provided. r having holding means engaging exposedends of For securing the grousers to the resilient bodga-plurality ofcross members for hinging moveof the track without restrictingobjectionably the ment with relation to each said member in direcflexingof the track or its cables imuse; sci-aw "-.t ionsboth-longitudinal andcrosswise of the bolts 36 have their shanks extending through;; tea gclearance holes 31 in the grousei sand are th geaq -Qlji Q Qftrag g self laying track vehicles, said ed to engage bridge members 38, the-heads39 of wtgiaglgjgbxngpi mg g body of rubber-like aterial, the screwbolts, preferably of hexagonal shape cross members in said body andhaving hooked being seated against the grousers. The clear-* endsexposed atthe margins of said body, a

'ance of holes 3! permits a limited hin'ging -agtigp gggugeg; a treadface of said body, a bridge of the grousers 21 I01 self-adjustmentagainst member havingits ends pivotally seated on sucthe-traclcthread.-Eachbridge-memben 31 has; cess'ive hooked end's at-amargincithabedygand a pair.- of horns -40, 4st adapted to seat in the; means ionclampingsaidgrouser to: ansint'erme' notches-25. formed betweer rthetread body l wand diate portion of said bridgefmember. i s l. the;h0oksof adjacent cross' barsandxalsmhaa A track for salt-laying taxablevehicles said a threaded aperturetfl adapted to engage the,trackcomprising a body of: rnbber-likamateriah threaded portions of the:screw-bolts 35. y;- having wtaead face, flexibleitension member aextightening theJbolts, the grousers are-seated tendingitherethnough in'spaoedvapart relation,

firmly against thetread surface of the rubber longitudinally spacedaparit crossbaizsresiliently:- bodyof the track which'isccmpressedslightly by secured to said tension members andhaving ends drawing upthe bolts so as not to loosen dq3 iifi-g-30 e1ip0S-d-8i'/th& margins onsaid. body, :saidends use 01 the 'tr ack the rubber being resilient-anddefining with the-iaces-lot saidibody notchessforheldunder compression.i '2 securingtgr-ousens; aagrousergseated against the To provideadditional meansforsecuring the tread: faceof: said may, :br-idgemembersengaging grousersjthe sides of the rubber-tread' bedy im eachef-two'successive class-barsandseated im maybe formed with aninclinedfaceJS-and thee55. said notches and detachable retainingmeans-ion bridge member im may be formed withaeomple Vseeuringsaid-grousentoan" intermediate portion movem nt t e on m m ers.re. tree-telea.

mentary face Mil-which is inelined to the axis off of said'bridgemember. l t the bolt 36 sothat-when the bclt is tightened the 4. Agrouser-structure fer 8r faying tr-aek face 4.64 cramped againstthe-surfaoe 45. having erase members disposed with endpo-r- The flanges11 b f. the, grousers are of:iiigtionstlaereceatthe side margins ofthe'trak; suoh depth as to shield the-heads 33-03; the belts; saidstructure comprising. a g ruser member-posi from contactwithconcrete--pavements, IOG1,: tionable'atfand v ntirel l g t yt l,-orother abrasive surfaces during operationfef the track; :bri fgemembers at opposite sides ofthe vehicle.

* the -e che &gab ewithtwo'cross mem The grousers seat'againstthetreadfaceof the" fbers at said end portions-thereof; and means forrubberbody til-between successive cross-ha rs t9; con ectingsaidgrousenmer'nberand bridge memwhich they are clamped so 'thatasfthe-traele isbersatanintermediate position of said member-s. flexedaroundthe supportingwheels as the ire-- 5. A grouser structure asdefined in elaim e in hicle,the tension on the'bolts 36' is somewhatiri}which said grouser member and.- bridge-- member creased due to the threepoint suspensionof the; are connected for relative waging-movement.

grouser afforded by its'contact with the-tread 6: A grousersmucture'adefin d.i i gi apmi surface between the contacts ofthe'horns ofthe Whichthe connecting means comprises an e lebridge member with'thenearestcross-bars; At mentextendir jpgmth e uge e gm 1 wakem I r the same timethetread body; is somewhat gaging a midportion of the bridge member.

thinned by such fiexing 'of the track-'around the f 7a A-g'rouser-struoture as defined in claimed n drivewheel so thatsubstantial-1yuniform jresi ltwhich the connecting means coapfigg aneleing-tension is present in the bolt; the resiliencef mentextendingfrom the bridge iterates and enor the o v m n gwer; di eje;aging a midportionof the grou ser member} ence in tensionxofthe' boltand preventi n any; I 81- A-gieus'er structureasdefinedigr"claim ginslipping" of the grouser along the tread; o whichthe connecting meansccmprisesa b lt tne'tensionmembers, and tne tg isi n' w re i l n ushieed immii e @iT-PS s2, fa f tilt fl J which in turn are free to rockwit lrespecttg thg QH-SP uQti1Tc for-- a self-laying traelg bridge 'member,with z A the o er a e not r ct seeelleelii i ll th y. be!

. 11,- H lmg thereof -at---tl' re side margins of -the track, said a V Ip structure comprising a grouser -member pas-1mm g g i g g ig f the 'Q Qable at'the treadface o'f the-tracle and extending The grousers may-bereadily applied whilethe 7b (Magi-{firing 'm m i s m portions.

tendingwith clearance" threugh- 'sa-i'd grouser l member andthreadedly'engaging a midportign having-eross-member-s disposed withend-portions frcm n'e side ia gmerf the tread -face to; the" track is inplace on the vehicle and asm-anymay 7 a ap be ,m'ckiing; movement a?be'applied to the track as there-are spaeeshbeap' d te margins 1 thg rsu two s tween cross-bars although a 'less-number-maybe; members at'saidend portigngtherof; lm t applied it desired as eachgrouser isindependent; io egnneeting sa d-- g}ousermember and bridge otthe others.r 'gmem'bersw 10. A grouser structure for a self-laying track at saidend portions thereof, and hinging joint having cross membersdisposedwith end pormeans for connecting said grouser member and tionsthereof at the side margins of the track, bridge member at anintermediate region theresaid structure comprising a grouse! member 100-of comprising means for drawing the two toward sitionable at the treadface of the track, a bridge 5 each other, member having end portionsadapted to be seated ROBERT MAYNE for rocking movement upon two crossmembers

